Hear Me Cry
by Fushuugi
Summary: Gwen is in love with her cousin, Ben. However, Ben doesn't feel the same way. She is determined to make Ben like her. Only, how exactly can she do that?
1. Chapter 1

Ben x Gwen

Teen; violence, language

Hear Me Cry: AFFECTION : Part 1

Ben, Gwen, and their grandfather walked along the deserted street of an (what seemed like) old abandoned little town. They had heard rumors about the little town. There were aliens- no surprise there.

What was added, along to the darkness of the town, were the gray skies and forlorn trees and flowers. The scenery really did ruin one's high spirits.

Gwen was walking close to Ben, unconsciously. She was just someone drawn to walk next to him- which she assumed was because of the Omnitrix wrapped around his hand. Their grandfather was walking closer to the small houses and restaurants, examining them, whereas Ben and Gwen were straying around the streets.

Max pulled the flashlight, that he was holding, closer to his face, and shined it through the dusty windows, and in to the dusty restaurant. "It looks fairly empty, except for some old looking furniture. Getting some mold there," he added.

"Grandpa, now's no time for your.. silly statements." Gwen quirked a brow at him, but kept an awkward smile on her lips. She could imagine her strange looking expression, and kind of wish she didn't make it. With that thought in mind, she quickly changed her expression to a frightened one.

This time, Gwen was clutching the flashlight- since Ben dropped it the time before. It had frightened them both very much.

Ben suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, and Gwen nearly bumped in to him. "I think I just saw something. Ahead," he pointed, though it was completely needless (since there was only one "ahead").

Gwen's hands were by her chin now, slightly shaking in fear. She glanced to all sides of her, but saw nothing. "It's like a horror movie..."

"Which makes it exciting," Ben said, squinting ahead.

Gwen ignored this, then glanced at one of the window's of the many shops. She saw something move- or so she thought. "I think I saw something move in there," she pointed towards one of the shops- which was larger than most around the town.

Ben scoffed, "Probably your imagination. You couldn't think you saw something there, even if it hit you right in the face." Not much logic there, but it worked, and Gwen stalked over toward the shop to make sure she saw something.. that could move.

With her hands against the window, and her face only an inch or two away from the window, she scanned the entire scene. Absolutely nothing. For all she knew, it could've been a mirror image from another shop. But even so, it could close in on them at any time.

This was one of the most dangerous situations they could be in- not being able to know where your "enemy" is..

The next moment went by in a flash- something completely incomprehensible.

As soon as Gwen started to walk away, something burst out of the window (she was just at) and grabbed her, then quickly ran away, using the tops of the shops.

"Gwen!" both Ben and Max screamed; Ben at the top of his lungs (assuming that Max was too old to do so).

Ben's mind was racing, and he quickly started running after the.. _thing_ that took Gwen. Meanwhile, Max dashed, or jogged, back over to his truck to chase after them.

All Ben could think of was speed and Gwen. Barely even looking at the Omnitrix, he switched to XLR8.

Within a few moments, he caught up with Gwen and whatever was kidnapping her. "Gwen!" Ben exclaimed, stretching out a.. hand.

Being nearly suffocated by the grasp and the speed they were going, she stretched out a hand toward his. Her whole arm was incredibly strained and shaking. Half by fear, and half by the cuts from the window. Blood was trickling down her arm quite heavily, and rapidly.

Against her will, her body moved on its own, and her hand retreated. The blood was flowing out at a more steady pace now.

She reached out again, this time moving her body as closer to his as possible.

Ben decided to push all risks aside now, and dashed forward even more, to get a hold of Gwen's shoulders.

Everything was blacked out right after that, and Gwen decided that she had finally been suffocated.

Gwen awoke, what felt like, seconds later. She was in a dark cold cave, with a waterfall not too far from her. It was emitting a strange glow, but the orange haired girl ignored it. She didn't feel any further pain, besides from the various scratches on her arms.

She assumed that Ben's short amount of time to stay in a different form ran out, and since they were running along rooftops, fell down and got bruised. Either that, or he, in some extraordinarily miraculous way, stood on a rooftop unscathed.

Gwen slowly stood from her spot, a bit sore from laying on the small rocks, and cold from the ground. She rubbed her hands for warmth, while approaching the eerie waterfall.

She reached one hand out towards the waterfall, and it burned her pretty severely. She quickly withdrew her hand. She picked out a stray twig on the ground, and stuck it out in to the waterfall. It completely dissolved.

_It's like acid_, Gwen thought. Pegging what was left, of the twig, in the acid waterfall, she resumed looking around the cave. _I wonder where that strange thing went. _She walked deeper in to the cave, then hesitated at the point where she couldn't see the bright acid waterfall anymore. Afraid of what was beyond it, she turned back towards the waterfall.

She stood only a couple feet away from the waterfall. She wanted to get out. Against the wall now, she climbed over the edge of the cave, but the acid waterfall was beginning to burn her a bit. She couldn't see it, but she knew that part of the back of her shirt was gone, even so, she continued.

When she looked down, she nearly slipped. It wasn't as high as she thought, but it was pretty high. About a mile, at least. Which was a great relief to her.

On her way down, she kept thinking about Ben and her grandfather. She really wanted to be with them. Of course, she wouldn't admit it. Wanting to see her annoying, embarrassing cousin? Yeah, right.

Half way down the hill, with the most strangest thoughts of Ben, she saw the kidnapper-_thing_ come out from a cave above the one she was just in. It looked down at her, and she gasped in fear, whilst her heart skipping a beat, then immediately began climbing down.

Gwen's hands began to sweat even more now, in panic. She struggled frantically to get down to the safe ground. With its amazing speed, she wasn't surprised to see how quick it was climbing down.

The orange haired girl wanted to cry so badly- and she was, indeed, sobbing. She didn't bother to wipe the tears away, as she would lose her grip if she did so.

She was only twenty feet to the ground now, while the alien thing was around fifty- and quickly gaining speed.

Her sobbing became louder. She lost her footing in a panic, when the alien thing glared down at her. She yelped almost quietly, slid down a bit, then replaced her footing.

Why, exactly, was this thing chasing her!? She kept asking herself, as she climbed down the hill.

At five feet to the ground, the orange haired girl finally slipped off. She fell on her back, not as painfully as she thought, but with the addition of the burns on her back...

She saw the alien thing look down at her, then change its position to one that was going to pounce someone. Gwen flipped herself around, then began crawling frantically away from the spot. She heard the alien land behind her.

"Ben.." she croaked. She didn't think her voice would come out in such a way. She noticed that she was thirsty. She continued to army crawl away, until she felt a foot on her back, then something cold touch her head.

"Where do you think you're going, girl?" it rasped. Its voice was very scratchy- sort of life XLR8's. "You're our hostage, you can't leave."

_Hostage?_ the girl thought. _Why should they have a hostage, when Ben was just vulnerable right before it? _There was not much logic, unless there was something else to it.

"We have acquired information that you are _one_ of Ben's most loved ones," the alien said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Gwen's heart pounded against her chest, and she couldn't tell why. There was no way- not _ever_- that she would be in love with her own idiot of a cousin. Forgetting the matters at hand, she said, "Well, you need to get your information checked again. That's totally wrong."

She felt the cold material pressure against her head, and when she tried to get a glimpse of it, she saw that it was a gun attached to the aliens' arm.

"Heh," Gwen grinned at the alien. "How would that idiot find his way here?"

"Obvious prints," it rasped. It looked around at the rock walls surrounding them, including the acid waterfall and opening to the place. "If he can't find them, I'll probably have to kill you, and lay you somewhere completely obvious."

Gwen's grin disappeared, and she furrowed her brows even more. "Go ahead, shoot me right now." She said, nearly absentmindedly.

He smirked, looking away from her, towards the opening in to the place. "Right, then." He looked back down at her, and Gwen looked to the opening.

She saw XLR8, charging full speed at them. And at the click of a gun, the alien was lifted away from the girl, and was flying back with the charge of XLR8. Gwen immediately stood, and staggered backwards. Her back was burning.

XLR8 smashed both himself and the alien in to the rocky wall, where, suddenly, bursting out of the surrounding rocky walls, similar aliens came out.

Gwen could see XLR8 take the alien from the wall, run pass her, then forward, and peg him at the wall. Enormous rocks broke out above it, and collapsed over him- and surrounding aliens.

XLR8 ran over to Gwen's side shortly afterwards, and asked: "Are you all right, Gwen!?" The Omnitrix sounded, and he reverted back to his original, human, form. He furrowed his brows, as he looked from one arm, to the other; of Gwen's. "What happened? Your back is all burnt too."

He walked pass her, and Gwen could feel her heart hammering against her chest for some unnatural reason. Ben looked over his shoulder, and to her burned back. He was even more angered now. Then he looked ahead, "Grandpa'll be here soon."

The other aliens, nearly forgotten in the moment, circled around the two. Ben and Gwen were nearly back to back now.

Now Gwen knew why the alien had taken her hostage. It was a simple plan: Hostage is taken right in front of people who actually care- speed equals time- which equals torture- which means the "victim'll" be terribly mad and fight full force- which then means even more a stronger force from hidden enemies. Which didn't make much sense, but it did to some extent.

The orange haired girl now wished that she still had the flashlight, but she had dropped it when she reached the first rooftop with the alien. "What now!?" she turned her head to one side of Ben, but her eyes were still focused on the surrounding aliens.

"We have to fight them off, until Grandpa comes!" Ben's back was against Gwen's (who's heart began to hammer even more), when one of the aliens charged at him. The brown haired boy raised his hands in defense- clasped around the alien's, and he pushed it back full force. It barely moved.

Gwen stumbled forward, when the alien rammed in to Ben- who was still standing. She coughed, as it felt as though the sand went up her nostrils.

Ben quickly turned to Gwen, and helped her up off the ground. But the rest of the aliens charged at them, and they both flew back.

They heard a truck coming in a short distance, and Ben must've saw it, because he grabbed Gwen by the arm, and pulled her over him, to his side. The truck ran over the spot that Gwen was just at, and rammed in to the rest of the aliens.

It was obvious that Max was being a bit too careless- or reckless.. But it didn't matter _too much_, since the aliens were killed.

Their grandfather rushed out of the truck, while Ben was, again, helping Gwen stand. She jerked away from him, and said, "Thanks".

"Are you two all right?" Max asked, jogging to them. "I'm not sure if they're all dead, but we should leave now, just in case." The two nodded, and they headed back over to the truck and left.

Ben looked over his shoulder, and saw one of the aliens twitching. He couldn't tell if it was still able to actually move, or if it was in some kind of torturous pain.

"I think there's a lot more of them left," Gwen said, worriedly. "I mean, did you see the caves around the walls? There just had to be more left."

"Let's not worry about that right now, Gwen," Max said. "You better get the first aid, and fix those burns and cuts."

Gwen headed over to one of the cabinets, but nearly stumbled as the road was rather rocky. She held on to the lower table for support, but Ben had come along and grabbed the first aid from the cabinet. She sighed, as she wanted to show that she could do it herself.

When they both took a seat by the usual table, in the truck, Ben said, "Don't push yourself." He handed the first aid to her. Gwen was about to retort, but changed her mind, and just barely nodded.

Almost every time she dabbed the cotton on her wounds (which had the medication on it, of course), she winced. It stung really badly.

"Want me to help?" Ben asked, staring at her with the expression of boredom.

She nodded, absentmindedly. "My back." The girl turned to face the window, so that the brown haired boy could actually rub the medication on it. She watched him prepare the cotton, making sure he did it right. He took a seat beside her, though it was a bit awkward, since he had to face the table; because he would fall over if he stood.

She could feel the cold medication cream on her back, and Ben was more gentler than she had ever thought. But it stung, nonetheless.

Her heart was hammering so roughly against her chest, and she felt terrible- it was like when you're so incredibly nervous around some specific person. The thought struck her then. Did she _like_ Ben? How could she? It was.. unthinkable! Love between cousins isn't supposed to happen!

She panicked then. It would make everything all awkward. If they even became lovers, it would make everything even more awkward. It was like.. when someone asked you 'who are you going out with?'. You'd be like: 'Oh, y'know! My cousin!'

Love between anyone related to you.. it's just plain strange! No, not wrong. Can't say that. Like homos. You don't make fun of homos. That's just not right. Love is love. That's right. Love is love. You love the person, so why shouldn't you be with them?

In this case. They were cousins! It didn't happen!

But.. She couldn't deny it. She loved him. As a cousin! As a .. boy. She hated herself for it- and only just realizing now. It's okay to love your best friend. But in the same family. Strange.

The feeling of utter nervousness went away. She sighed deeply, and was extremely happy that her grandfather cut in with her sigh.

"'Fraid we're nearly out of gas. We'll have to find a place to sleep in- which is at that old town. Tomorrow, we'll look around for gas," Max said- as it was, indeed, getting very dark.

They stopped the car in front of a two story restaurant, about five minutes later. Ben and Gwen still hadn't finished cleaning her wounds, but they would resume as soon as they finished searching the restaurant for anything strange. Gwen grabbed the first aid kit, while Max grabbed the flashlight, and Ben.. a pack of batteries. It was probably because he had the urge to carry something, as everyone else was. Or, he was actually being smart, because they would certainly need extra batteries.

Max and Ben did pay close attention to the restaurant, but also to Gwen, they were afraid she'd get kidnap again. Gwen had the greatest urge to finish fixing her wounds, since there was a lot of dust around, and she got a bit paranoid. Infection was one of the last things they'd need then.

"Hey, I'll stay right here. I really want to finish," she held up the first aid kit. She took a seat on one of the red cushioned stools, and opened the first aid kit.

"Ben, you stay here with her. I'll finish searching the place," Max said, and walked up the staircase.

Ben, somehow, found a light switch in the mist of dust. The lights flickered, then lit. He, then, continued to help Gwen on her wounds.

While Max searched the floor above them, they were silent. All the while, Gwen's heart was pounding against her chest, and she was wondering if Ben could either hear or feel it.

After they bandaged both her arms and back, they started searching the place- leaving the second floor to their grandfather. But they didn't find anything worth saying. It was probably the most awkward silence that Gwen had ever felt in her life. She wondered if Ben thought it was awkward. It didn't seem like it was to him. He looked so interested in the place.

Max came back down the stairs minutes later, to find Ben and Gwen still wandering around the place. "We'll sleep on the second floor. I think it's a lot more sanitary than this floor." They nodded, then he led the way back up the stairs.

There were actual couch-like seats with tables on this floor. Gwen hopped on to the most cleanest looking one, Ben took one a few couch-table sections away, and Max slept another few sections away; by the door to the first floor.

Gwen didn't even want to lay her head on the filthy couch, still. People sat there, for eff's sake. It was like lying on their ass. Which wasn't very pleasant. But she couldn't sleep sitting straight, since doing so would ruin her back (although, it actually takes a little while to do that, and she wouldn't want any neck sore as an addition to her already painful pain).

So, she grabbed the first aid kit, which was on the table beside her, took out a giant roll of gauze, and set her head on it. It wasn't all that comfortable, but it was much better than laying on the couch.

She couldn't go to sleep. Too uncomfortable. She sat straight, and looked over to Max, who was already sleeping, then Ben, who was looking out the window.

She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before, but she unrolled some of the gauze, ripped it out, then placed it over the couch. "Ben, catch." She tossed the roll of gauze to the boy, and he caught it; rather swiftly.

"What do I need this for?" he asked, stupidly (as Gwen would put it). He examined the gauze, as though it had some strange disease on it.

"Use it like a pillow case- not a pillow," she added, as he laid down on the couch, and put the entire roll of gauze under his head. "Oh, whatever.. if it works for you." She laid back down, and stared at the ceiling.

"Gwen, you're okay, right?" Ben asked, with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yeah." A tinge of heat spread across her face, she was glad she couldn't see Ben right then.

"Sorry, I took long."

Gwen could feel her face burning now. She hated how it felt. It was so strange, to her. For some odd reason, she felt like it was the perfect time to tell him. How she felt.

"Ben, I.." Her heart was beating roughly than ever before. She could barely breath. Her mind was spinning, and she could barely think- even though she was thinking about a million things. It was so awkward. "I.." She sat straight, again, and looked over to him, to make sure he was awake. He was.

"I-I.. I like you, a lot, Ben!"She could feel her face burning. Like it was in a fireplace. It felt like everyone in the world could hear her heart beating- Ben and Max for the most part. So loud.

But she didn't want a misunderstanding of this. If they happen to be so entirely ignorant, and say, "I like you, too!" Completely disregarding the other's expression- or even the emotion they put in it. 'Course, you can't really blame them for being so dense, or out of it. This made her want to say, "and not in a cousinly-relatively way!" She knew, though, that that statement would ruin the entire atmosphere.

She saw Ben's expression change. Sad. Gwen's heart sank. "Sorry. Gwen, I.. I don't like you in that kind of way. I mean, I'm your cousin-"

"So!? What does that matter!?" Gwen exclaimed- ignoring her grandfather's presence. She was so mad. So what if they were cousins!?

Now the rest of their time was going to be spent awkwardly! She was so pissed at him- at herself. She had gotten her hopes up, since that alien thing had said that she was one of his most loved ones-- _one_. It had only just occurred to her. One, he said. Not just most, but one.

"I can't see you that way. I'm sorry, Gwen."

This statement wasn't necessary- and Gwen's eyes started to fill with hot tears. She quickly stood from her seat, and without taking another look at Ben, ran to the staircase.

"Wait- Gwen!" Ben exclaimed, starting after her.

"Don't follow me!" she said, and ran down the stairs.

"Gwe--"

"Ben, leave her be." Max had awoken by all the yelling. He sat straight, a few seconds later, to look sternly at Ben- then laid back down to sleep.

Ben walked slowly back towards his seat, attached to the wall. He slumped down on to the couch- back against the wall, and feet stretched over the couch. His hair shadowed his eyes, and he stared down at the gauze in his hands.

He could hear Gwen crying quite considerably downstairs. He didn't go to sleep, until he knew that Gwen was asleep. He probably wouldn't be able to go to sleep at all.

He knew he said something stupid, and wanted to take it back. But he couldn't lie to her. He couldn't say that he liked her back- when he really didn't. It just wasn't right, he knew Gwen wouldn't like it.

It wasn't until a couple hours later, did Gwen cry herself to sleep. Ben cursed at himself, for making her cry so much. He had to resist the urge of just walking downstairs to check on her.

He hated the fact that she was down there by herself. Glad that there was no door, he crept down the stairs slowly, and sat on the step closest to the floor. He looked over the stairs' railing for Gwen, and saw her scrunched up by the staircase (against the wall), and when he moved back to the steps, she was unseen.


	2. Chapter 2

Ben x Gwen

Teen; violence, language

Hear Me Cry: BEATEN

The next morning, Gwen awoke a bit groggy. She rubbed her neck, since it was a little sore. 'Why am I sleeping here..?' She thought for a moment, then remembered what happened last night. She sighed, and said quietly to herself, "I'm such an idiot. Why did I say that to him?" She stood, then stretched. It was painful yet comforting.

She approached the window across the floor, and stared at her reflection. 'I look like crap.' She began fixing her hair, and wiping away the tear streaks.

Ben stared over at her. He hadn't been able to sleep the entire night. During that time, he just sat there. Thinking. Wondering about the aliens and just everything- like completely irrelevant things like school. He even walked outside to get his games. Well, he couldn't deny that he had slept an hour or two, since he got incredibly bored; and just sort of.. dozed off.

But now was no time to continue thinking. He had to get back to his seat on the second floor, before either Gwen or Max noticed. Swiftly, he crept back over to the second floor, while Gwen was still making herself presentable.

'I.. should probably apologize to him. Say it never happened.' Gwen thought. She nodded to her reflection, since she looked presentable. Regaining composure, she walked upstairs, and looked in to the room. Max was still sleeping, she saw, and Ben was fiddling with the gauze roll.

"B-Ben." Her eye twitched, at her stuttering.

Ben snapped his head to her direction. He dropped the gauze on to his lap, and let it roll to the floor.

Gwen could feel her heart acting stupid again. Regardless, she gestured for him to come over.

Wondering what she could want, Ben strode over to her.

"C'mon." She walked back down the stairs, with Ben following her, and took a seat on the red cushioned stools, beside the bar table.

"About.. what I said to you, last night.." She looked from the table to him. He had a serious expression on his face, that made her uncomfortable. Even so, she smiled, "just forget about it. Pretend it never happened."

"Wh..what?"

"Ben. I wasn't thinking straight last night, because of what happened. So, just forget about it. I said it without thinking. Really."

"Whatever you say.. I guess." Ben smiled, half-heartedly. He did feel like a burden on his chest lightened. It's not that Gwen, or her feelings, were a burden... he just didn't know how to put it.

"Well then... Let's wait until Grandpa wakes up," Gwen said, looking around the bar.

"No way," Ben grinned. "Let's just go."

"No, Ben. It's too dangerous." She stood in front of him, making sure he wouldn't just dart out.

"Suit yourself. I'll go by myself." Ben pushed her aside, but she stuck her arm out in front of him.

"_Ben_. Did you see those aliens? They're insane. Besides, you're going out there without a plan?"

"Plan for _what_? Evasive maneuvers? _Hah_. Making a plan is uncool anyway. So..." He pushed down on Gwen's arm lightly, but she didn't falter. The brown haired boy furrowed his brows.

"Oh, _all right_. But if we get in trouble, just remember it's your fault." Gwen put her arm down, and followed Ben out of the place.

It was pretty hazy and dark outside, but it wasn't so bad. Gwen had to walk closer to Ben, in fear of the aliens, and whatever was hidden in the haze.

"We came here to see the aliens, and we've already seen them. So what are we doing out here now?" Gwen looked around at the many shops, hoping an alien wouldn't jump out of a window.

"Hey, let's go there." Ben pointed to a small shop a few blocks away. Ben picked up the pace, and Gwen sighed, following suit.

Ben was about to open the door to the shop, before Gwen stopped him.

"What if there's something in there?" She peered in through the windows.

"Gwen. Something would've attacked us by now, _if_ there was anyone else here!" Ben opened the door to the small place, and scanned the area.

"Well they could be trying to get us on surprise. Like an, I don't know.. ambush." She resumed following the stupid boy.

The shop was just as dusty as the bar place. There were lots of stands and tables around the room, like a showcase, with jewelery in them.

"Is this a.. jewelery shop?" Gwen taken slightly aback. She didn't expect such a town to have a jewelery shop.

"I'd expect a hat shop... Let's go." Ben walked back over to the doors leading outside. But when he didn't hear Gwen's footsteps following him, he looked over his shoulder to her.

"I want this pearl necklace," she pointed down at the table, while looking at Ben.

"Take it, then," Ben said.

Gwen happily picked up the glass covering, which was a bit heavy, and took out the necklace. As soon as she put it on, she replaced the glass over the table. "I'm starting to think this place is actually an auction. You can sort of tell.."

"Whatever. Let's just leave." Ben headed outside, and Gwen quickly followed him.

"Did it get darker?" Gwen asked, staring out at the haze. "Ben, let's get back to grandpa." She looked over to him.

"This is just getting better," he grinned. "Hey, why don't we do grandpa a favor, and look for a gas station?"

"There wouldn't be a gas station in this town."

"We can always try looking for one." With that, Ben started scouting ahead- and for the millionth time, Gwen followed.

While looking left and right, at the stores repeatedly, Gwen started to think. She was wondering if Ben really did forget about what she said. Not literally, but for the most part. She had to get over this guy. Nothing good would come from liking him. Even if he did say he liked her.. she probably wouldn't have believed him. She'd have to try hard to get over him, and find someone else.

Besides, when they were younger they didn't meet much. Even when they did, they just hated each other. Sometimes it felt to her.. that Ben was more like a good friend, than a cousin.

"Look, see? There's a gas station." Ben grinned even more, at her. "I so knew there would be one."

"Yeah, yeah. Now, I think it'd be smart to get back to grandpa, and tell him."

Ben clearly ignored her, and walked over to the gas station. She was officially getting annoyed by his persistence. "Come on, Ben."

She sighed again, and grabbed his wrist- which caught him on surprise. "We're going back." She dragged him down the street for another minute, before letting go of him.

"Fine." Ben stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked ahead of her.

Trying to not make herself think of Ben, she started wondering about why the aliens were there. The place's abandoned, but aliens were there. 'Maybe they knew Ben would be coming there, and wanted the Omnitrix..? Seems likely.'

They reached the bar a few minutes later, and took their seats back at the bar table. As if on cue, they heard Max walking down the stairs, and the two turned to him.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning," Ben and Gwen said in unison.

"How long were you two awake?" Max asked.

"Like ten minutes.." Ben said, hopping off the stool.

"Not long." Gwen did the same thing as Ben.

"Why don't we go look for some gas station, or car store, now?" inquired Max, beginning to walk out of the bar.

"Uh, hey, grandpa. Yesterday, I saw a gas station, when we were driving back here," Gwen lied. "It's just up the road."

"Fantastic," Max smiled. "We'll go there now."

The three hopped in to the truck, and reached the gas station in no time. However, yet again, Gwen noticed that before they got in to the truck, outside was hazier than before.

It seemed to her, that each time they went inside a place, then back out, it would be darker or hazier. She soon dismissed it as nonsense.

Max started filling the truck with gas, while Ben and Gwen took a look around the area. Max was in front of the gas station's building, while Ben and Gwen were looking around on the side.

While Ben was inspecting random "findings" on the ground, Gwen spotted something around the back. It was shining.

"Hey, Ben! There's something over here." She continued walking, out of Ben's view. The orange haired girl crouched down to get a better look at it.

It was a gun.

Gwen nearly squealed at the sight of it. It resembled the alien's gun almost exactly. She picked up the gun, knowing well that her grandfather would want to examine it.

She immediately took off running to Ben, afraid there would be an alien out there. "Ben! Look," she showed the gun to the boy.

"Sweet!" he exclaimed, yanking it away from her. "Are there more? Where'd you find them?" He was grinning at the gun.

"Back behind the station- now give it back." She brought out her hand in front of him, demanding the gun back.

"Hahaha, no way. I'm keeping it." He put his hands, that were grasping the gun of course, behind his back.

"Seriously, Ben. Give it back!" She tried to reach behind him to get it, and walk around behind him, but she failed. She decided, that whenever this annoying guy was off guard, she'd take it.

Gwen crossed her arms with irritation, while walking back to the truck. Ben followed her- hands behind his back still.

Ben casually walked in the truck, making sure the gun he wasn't in sight of his grandfather- who was getting in to the truck. Gwen just glared at him, when he took a seat by the table.

"I could just tell on you right now," she whispered harshly.

"But you won't." Ben stuffed the gun in his backpack. He hugged it tightly to his chest, and stretched out on the seat.

He was right. Gwen just wouldn't tell on him. She rested her head on her arms, that were crossed on the table.

It wasn't until a few minutes later, did she start hearing very quiet snores from Ben. She sat up straight in her seat, and stared at him. She would definitely take the gun back now.

Slowly, she reached across the table, and took hold of his backpack; without taking it out of his grasp. She quickly unzipped the backpack, took out the gun, and then re-zipped it.

"Gwen," Max said.

Startled, Gwen hid the gun behind her, in the seat cushion. She looked up at the mirror.

"I'm going to search some of these stores for some things. You wait in here, with your cousin."

"Okay."

Max soon parked the car beside a random building, grabbed a few things in the RV, then left.

Gwen waited to see her grandfather enter one of the stores. Once he did, she took out the gun. She was tempted to, not only pull the trigger, but press the random buttons she saw.

A moment later, she thought she heard something hit the top of the car. She shook her head, but continued staring up at the ceiling of the car.

There were more soft thuds, but the RV didn't shake.

She saw something black-ish by the window, at the corner of her eye, and immediately flicked her head to it's direction. She let out a sharp gasp, as it quietly cut out the window. By the time she could think, and only moved about a foot away from the window, the alien had grabbed her by the necklace. She nearly choked.

For the second time, she was barely being suffocated... It was getting troublesome to her.

"Be-" she coughed. She clutched the necklace, as the alien continued to pull it out the window.

She was to her shoulders out the window. Her hands were the only things keeping the rest of herself in the car. "Bee-" she croaked. Great, more croaking. "He-"

The necklace snapped off- and when she tried to sink back in to her seat, the alien grabbed her by the shirt, and pulled her out of the square it made.

"Ben!" she yelled. "Ben!" 'Why is this happening again!?' she thought.

Ben snapped awake, eyes wide. He looked over to the used-to-be-window. The boy peered out, and looked up. Gwen was being taken away again. "Gw-en!" He quickly climbed through the used-to-be-window, and switched the Omnitrix to XLR8.

"What is going on out there?" Max asked, out loud, as he headed back outside. He looked over to the car. It looked normal, and no one was around making a commotion. He assumed it was just Ben and Gwen arguing again, and went back in to the store.

"Gwen- Wait, you stupid alien!" XLR8 rasped. They were jumping across the tops of the stores again. "This is getting old!"

"Let go of me!" Gwen struggled to be freed from the alien. There was no way possible she could use her magic, not at the speed they were going. "I didn't want to do this..!" She pulled the gun out, and pointed it at the alien's arms. For a few seconds she hesitated, but pulled the trigger nonetheless.

It's arm went flying back, while blood shot out, and Gwen fell. She skid harshly, on her back, over the tops of many stores, before XLR8 finally caught her.

The many aliens following them, circled around the two, just like before.

XLR8 only stood there, holding Gwen bridal style. "What do you guys want!?" XLR8 rasped loudly.

Each, and every, alien pointed at XLR8.

"What the-?! _Me?_ For what pur-"

"Ben! Stop talking and get us out of here. Clearly they want the Omnitrix!" Gwen shouted at him.

"Oh, right. See ya, guys!" XLR8 turned around, and dashed back in a blur.

The other aliens were quick, however, almost _quicker_. A random alien jumped out, out of nowhere, in front of them. XLR8 halted to a stop, but hastily began dashing in another direction. Another alien grabbed on to XLR8's foot, and pulled him back- hitting through the roof with XLR8's back.

Both XLR8 and Gwen fell in to the store. While Gwen was still in his arms, they both got smashed in through two more floors, then hit the store's ground roughly.

Only aliens would have been able to sustain that...

Gwen flipped over, and got off XLR8, before coughing, as the debris fell. Her back was to the debris, as it hit her and XLR8 and the rest of the place.

As soon as it stopped falling, and there was only wood.. dust, and other store particles in the air, Gwen sat up. "Be-" she coughed, "Ben, you all right?" She waved the dust particles out of her face.

"Yeah. Just fine, after getting thrown in to three floors of wood." XLR8 sat up, and sighed.

"Sorry. It's my fault."

"Stop blaming yourself. Let's just get out of here." XLR8 staggered around, before he could stand straight. He walked over to Gwen, and picked her up, bridal style, for the second time.

"Ben. You know it's my fault. If I had just been able to-"

"Shut up." XLR8 quickly darted over to the door outside, kicked it open, and ran out. As soon as he did, alien grabbed his upper arm, and swung him in a random direction.

"Not again," he mumbled. He got thrown in to the side of a building, taking the impact with his back again. The force of the peg wasn't as much as before, and he didn't go through the other side of the building.

XLR8 groaned. "This is stupid."

"Then hurry back to Grandpa. He's probably wondering where we are," Gwen said.

"I don't see you doing anything."

"I can't. Not at the pace you're going."

"Funny." XLR8 stood, and looked out to where he was just pegged from. "Why are they so fast?"

"It's true that they're even faster than XLR8.. So, what do you plan on doing?"

"The plan thing again?" XLR8 sighed. "I can try to out run them." He sped out of the broken store, as fast as he could.

Gwen knew it. She was one of the main reason's why XLR8 was slowing down. She hated it.

But it was too late to jump off, or do any 'brave' acts. As the aliens finally jumped XLR8 and Gwen.

Gwen was pried from XLR8's arms- then thrown across the ground.

"Gwen!" XLR8 shouted. He tried to free himself from them, but couldn't. He soon reverted back to Ben, and was completely powerless.

"No.." Gwen couldn't sit properly, she was hurting too much. "Ben!" After clasping the gun close, and tightly, to her chest for so long, she finally pointed it at the aliens. She shot the side of them, missing a lot, and only got a few to fall.

The gun was finally knocked away from her- too far for her to move to.

The aliens, with Ben "captive", began to move farther from Gwen. At that moment, when she saw the fear in Ben's eyes, she cried. It was all she could do, no matter how far, or how quick, she could crawl. She couldn't reach the gun. She wasn't powerful enough to do anything. "Be-n!" she cried.

The aliens took Ben to a far place, near the area where Gwen was held hostage. They set him down in a strange hi-tech seat, of course, he failed to get out of their grasp before that.

"What are you..?"

They strapped Ben's left arm, with the Omnitrix, around a small rectangular table.

The alien pressed it's sharp nail against Ben's arm. "We need the Omnitrix."

Ben's eyes widened.


End file.
